title: FLT3 ligand administration inhibits tumor growth in murine melanoma and lymphoma.
abstract: Successful treatment of melanoma and lymphoma may result from the induction of specific antitumor immunity. Dendritic cells (DCs) are powerful antigen-presenting cells and show a remarkable capacity to stimulate antigen-specific T-cell responses. Administration of FLT3 ligand (FL) results in a reversible accumulation of functionally active DCs in both lymphoid and nonlymphoid tissues. Therefore, we evaluated the possible antitumor effect of FL in murine melanoma (B16 and CL8-1) and lymphoma (EL-4) models. In all experiments, tumor growth was significantly inhibited by FL administration. Analysis by immunohistochemistry revealed an increase in the DC accumulation within B16 and EL-4 tumors after treatment with FL. No change was observed for CL8-1 melanoma. These data suggest a potential role for FL in the immunotherapy of malignant skin tumors and possible DC involvement in this effect.
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Esche
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Subbotin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maliszewski
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Lotze
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Shurin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008546:Melanoma, Experimental / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C084881:flt3 ligand protein